Refrigerant recovery is the mandatory process of removing refrigerant from HVAC equipment before servicing, opening the system, or disposing of the unit. Under EPA Section 608 regulations, it is illegal to knowingly vent refrigerants into the atmosphere. Violations can result in fines of up to $44,539 per day per violation.
Recovery is performed using a certified recovery machine that draws refrigerant from the system and stores it in an approved recovery cylinder. The recovered refrigerant can then be reclaimed (purified to new refrigerant standards) and reused, or properly disposed of.
All HVAC technicians who service refrigeration equipment must be EPA 608 certified. Recovery equipment must meet EPA efficiency standards. Recovered refrigerants cannot be returned to a different type of system (R-410A recovered from one unit can only be returned to R-410A systems).